Please rate my AWA , its my first :)
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03 Sep 2015, 03:45
Q:
“This past winter, 200 students from Waymarsh State College traveled to the state capitol building to protest against
proposed cuts in funding for various state college programs. The other 12,000 Waymarsh students evidently weren’t
so concerned about their education: they either stayed on campus or left for winter break. Since the group who did
not protest is far more numerous, it is more representative of the state’s college students than are the protesters.
Therefore the state legislature need not heed the appeals of the protesting students.”
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.
A:
The article talks about a protest by 200 students from a State college at the state capitol building against proposed cuts in funding for various college program. It also mentions that as the number of students that did not turn out for the protest is significantly higher, the state need not heed to the appeals of the protesting student.
The article is misleading and its assumptions do not have the right facts to back up the claim, that an appeal is not required. The author should have conducted a sufficient amount research before publishing this unsubstantiated view. There can be a numerous number of reasons to the low turnout which needs to be clarified and facts established.
Firstly, the author basis his conclusion on the fact that there had been a significantly small turnout of students compared to the student population. This may be due to the fact that the number of students interested and enrolled in the subject is comparatively and significantly less. This also would mean that the field of study may either be an upcoming subject or a rare field, which would on the contrary require more budget from the state.
Secondly, the author assumes the absence of the majority of students could only mean that they are not concerned about their education. This although may be true does not have the right facts to make such an assumption. The students absent from the protest may have had pre planned programs, the students that stayed on the campus may have either enrolled in winter classes or have exams, while those that left for the winter may have taken internship programs away from the city. There are a numerous excuses that can be associated to the absence of students.
An absence of interest and concern does show an absence of support for a cause, this may be true in this scenario if the author had more facts and numbers to back up his line of reasoning. The author could have collected more information on the subjects that are planned to be removed and the number of students that are enrolled in the programs. Interviews and views of the students that were absents could also have be included proving the low number of turnout did matter.
The article is seriously flawed and lacks reasoning. The author could have done a better job in convincing the readers that the state legislature should ignore the appeal by including more convincing data and facts.